Royal Ascot: Cercene produces battling display to beat Zarigana in Coronation Stakes for Joseph Murphy | Racing News

Cercene gave Jockey Gary Carroll and coach Joseph Murphy one day to remember when he courageously held the French Hotpot Zarigana to win the issues of the coronation in Royal Ascot.

Presented as a confrontation between the French winner of 1,000 Guinea, Zarigana and Owen Burrows, completed Falakeyah, it was the Irish origin that stole the show to become the most expensive winner in the race at 33-1.

Falakeyah’s challenge was trusted in trigger after having run, but 6-4 Zarigana preferred looked privileged to jump into the hands of Mickael Barzalona and in fact sought to have briefly passed Cercene.

However, the third Irish hoop should not be refused and proved that its Curragh performance was not a stroke of luck when she was fighting to obtain a half-length verdict.

Ethics diamond sparkles for Willie Mullins

Ethical Diamond made it an important day for Willie Mullins when switching off the outside to win the issues of the Duke of Edinburgh in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Mullins and his wife Jackie had participated in the royal procession before the race and its double-use artist had no trouble justifying the 3-1 favoritism.

Fourth last year, he was 2 more lb after also finishing fourth in the county in Cheltenham – but the result barely looked at doubt and he returned to the house two lengths from Mutaawid and Naqeeb.

Mullins said: “Last year, he just ran too free and things did not work for him, but he still ran a cracker to be fourth, so I thought that if we were doing things correctly this year, he had a real chance live and that worked in this way.

“We are going to give him a short break, bring him home; We’re going to watch York then a race like the Ebor. We would like (going to Australia) if we could have it qualified, it was my first thought to come.

“I think he would manage a trip to Australia, he bears the hood because he is a bit passionate, but it would not be a problem.

“There is also a big one about the obstacles in him, but for the moment, we will focus on flat races.”

He added: “These are just fantastic days, Jackie told me just coming here today” take it “, then to have a winner on top which is the icing on the cake.

“Tuesday was a little disappointing, but we live to fight another day and, hope, reaching the upper (unlucky in the issues of Ascot for the king and the queen) will be back for the same race next year. Ryan had nowhere to go, he was just locked inside and that was.”

More to follow …